


Bruce Banner's Nine Circles of Hell

by Rosie_Petal_138



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Battle of New York (Marvel), Inner Dialogue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:07:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25621879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosie_Petal_138/pseuds/Rosie_Petal_138
Summary: Bruce Banner's thoughts on his first meeting with the Avengers and that first Battle in New York
Kudos: 8





	Bruce Banner's Nine Circles of Hell

**The First Circle:**

From the moment he sets foot on the Helicarrier they're all smiles and lies, which in the sick way is almost okay with him because he wouldn't have expected much else.

To put it extremely mildly, Bruce Banner is not a people person.

He does not make it a point in life to seek out large gatherings of people, nor does he ever make it a point to stay in one place long enough to leave a lasting imprint of a name and face. He chooses places in the middle of nowhere with people that will hardly ever give him a second glance. An he likes it that way, he likes the solitude.

He likes the freedom, but hates the freewill - or his lack thereof.

And so he sits and waits in the wide open expanses of wherever-he-is-right-now, British Colombia, Canada for the Other Guy because sitting around trying to meditate with the Jolly Green Giant rolling around in the back of his mind isn’t exactly making things simple.

Instead, Bruce brews another cup of tea, takes a sip, burns his tongue and decides that he doesn’t exactly like this tea.

The Other Guy doesn’t either because he think it tastes like dirt.

**Days Without Incident:** 17

The Other Guy comes much sooner than planned and he finds himself on the other side of the world while another plans it’s conquest.

**The Second Circle:**

He’d never gotten to travel much.

That is the one random though that comes to mind as he kneels over another sick person and tries to work miracles with archaic bits of nothing that just frustrate him because he has nothing to work with and these flustered people who have no clue what they’re doing can’t help anyone.

Yet Bruce is patient, Bruce is calm. The Other Guy . . . not so much.

In the middle of India in some back alley that is a far cry from the labs he’s used to, Bruce Banner is trying to play Medicine Man and pretending that he knows what he's doing, but then he's doing a hell of a lot better than what the other “doctors” are.

But then he's scrubbing dirt and disease from his hands and there's that little girl and dammit he is compelled to follow her because her _father_ is sick and her _father_ is dying and he can't just let that happen when there's a chance he can do _something_ to help someone else.

But it's a trap, of course it's a trap, why didn't he see it coming? The little girl slips out the back door and a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent walks into the room, talking about Director Fury this and Director Fury that. She promises that S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't want to lock him up and that it's just her there but he doesn't believe her. He snaps _stop lying to me!_ and then she is pointing a gun at his face because well, it’s not _just you and me, right?_ . . . no . . . it’s also a whole lot of armed S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers with machine guns pointed toward the cabin.

They cart him off and pack him away into the small, cramped confines of a vehicle and — oh mother of god is that a _ship?_ . . . that’s just great, been stuck on a ship where if he loses control then the entire ship could sink and all those people could die — he shudders at the thought and Bruce decides that he doesn’t particularly like Natasha.

The Other Guy doesn’t like Agent Romanoff either because she reeks of red and lies.

**Days Without Incident:** 48 1/2

Natasha Romanoff puts him in a confined space that is much too small and up too high over water for his liking.

**The Third Circle:**

Nick Fury is clearly not a man to be toyed with.

If anything, Bruce finds himself slinking around the room and trying to identify every possible exit while Captain America, a.k.a. Steve Rogers, a.k.a. I-thought-that-guy-was-dead strides onward and fishes out a ten-dollar bill from his pocket handing it to Fury. He doesn’t dwell on it much and subconsciously allows himself to wring his hands together as a means of keeping calm and collected, not that it helps much, in fact, it makes him look kind of nervous.

Fury doesn’t give him too much information to work with from his facial expression and instead they shake hands with a _thanks for coming_ and Bruce’s sarcastic _thanks for asking nicely._ It’s almost like they’re good pals and there’s nothing exceedingly _wrong_ with the situation and they haven’t just airlifted the Hulk into the skies over wherever-they-are, which is both extremely dangerous and extremely stupid.

This Tesseract is bought up again and with it comes the fleeting image of a shack on the outskirts of Calcutta and a wooden cradle and a little girl and her ‘father’ pointing a gun at his face and a phone handed to him with a picture of a glowing blue cube on it.

In his peripheral he sees Agent Romanoff bend down, eyeing the image of a man he doesn’t know on a computer screen and for the briefest of moments something similar to pity wells in him, or maybe it’s just nerves or nausea from their currently airborne position.

One S.H.I.E.L.D. agent with a receding hairline (who also appears pretty no-nonsense to boot, even if he looks about two steps away from fangasming all over Captain America) named Agent Coulson brings it upon himself to fill Bruce in on their attempts to locate said Tesseract, something about wirelessly accessible cameras and more or less hoping against all odds that they find the damn thing without saying that in so many words. He inwardly sighs, believing them stupid to have already overlooked the use of spectrometers and how to _calibrate them for gamma rays._

The Director eyes him and he pauses momentarily as he wars with himself and the Other Guy before conceding hesitantly and earnestly asking _do you have somewhere for me to work?_

The Other Guy sees Fury as little more than just another General Ross, only with an eye-patch and a score to settle with a mischievous god.

**Days Without Incident:** 50

The Helicarrier leaves him dangling in the air playing scientist and praying that he will not lose control of the slim hold he has over the Other Guy.

**The Fourth Circle:**

Bruce would honestly prefer it if they’d simply show him to the lab and then leave him to his business. Instead they show him the way and have dumped him with Mr. Tony Stark and expect results A.S.A.P. (even if they’re not going to say that outright. It’s just heavily implied because they don’t want to hang around the humanised Hulk any longer than they need to and he doesn’t blame them).

Stark blatantly ignores the way that Bruce keeps skirting away from him and trying to initiate some personal space just to be on the safe side. Stark starts crapping on about how the Hulk is a gift but Bruce finds himself asking, how the hell is the Hulk a gift?

The other man has a cluster of shrapnel imbedded in the cavity next to his heart and a futuristic pacemaker keeping him alive and kicking and that somehow make an _enormous green rage monster_ a gift. Go figure. But _that’s nice. It’s a nice sentiment. It saved him for what?_

Despite the quips, the careful stares (he’s being studied, he knows this), the laughter and being prodded with _sharp metal object_ Bruce appreciates Stark’s company, if only because the man has come to see him as an intellectual equal and as his fellow man, not as some monster. In a strange way, they _almost_ hit it off immediately, considering that thus far in his venture into the realm of S.H.I.E.L.D. and this Avenger Initiative, Tony is the only one Bruce actually likes, let alone minutely trusts.

Bruce has almost forgotten what it it feels like to be treated like a human being and then Stark goes and insinuates that _the Other Guy saved his life?_

The Other Guy only tolerates Tony Stark because he says stupid things and gives them blueberries.

**Days Without Incident:** 51 1/4

The Helicarrier manages to allow Bruce to have an inkling of, almost, been at home which is more than he has felt in years.

**The Fifth Circle:**

Captain America sounds cheesy and corny when he speaks but he thinks nothing of it because clearly it worked for the 1940s and there’s no sense in changing it now, seventy years later.

But it’s Steve Rogers that bothers him, not Captain America.

Because with all due respect, Steve, you’re not exactly rolling out the welcome wagon. Bruce doesn’t expect him to, but instead he’s forced to stand back idly and bite his tongue as Steve’s ‘ _only word I care about’_ quickly turns into _‘no offence’_ because clearly there’s nothing offensive about the way Rogers goes not further than the edge of the lab and glowers as Stark tries to provoke the Other Guy.

Steve is wary and overly cautious, and if Bruce was honest he should be, they all should be, and comes no closer than he has to because Stark seems intent on trying to provoke the Other Guy by poking him zappy sticks, which earns him an _are you nuts?_ from Steve. Bruce bites back his wounded pride as Stark turns to their (Bruce’s unwanted) guest and reply smugly the _jury’s out_.

Captain Rogers says something about putting everyone on board the Helicarrier at risk but for the most part any other exchange between the two men is lost on him as he busies himself with scrutinising his data all over again and trying not to focus on the recent jab at his side because damn, that kinda hurt.

His attention is diverted again when he's suddenly inquired on some of his own unique scientific expertise and thoughts on whether or not Fury’s hiding something that ends in Stark offering him a blueberry.

The Other Guy decides that he doesn't like Steve and Bruce doesn't blame him.

**Days Without Incident:** 52

The Helicarrier consists of Bruce feeling like eyes are on him at all times, their intentions unknown, which leaves him with a feeling of unease.

**The Sixth Circle:**

Bruce figures he’d probably like Thor more if it weren’t for his arrogance. Perhaps it’s not so much that, as it is the fact that the latter is supposed to be some sort of demigod and demigods aren’t exactly on the Bruce’s list of think-I-believe-in-without-question.

But them — of course, because he was already beginning to wonder when it would happen — all hell breaks loose and the next thing Bruce knows is that they’re all yelling and trying to be heard at the same time and they’re all screwed because Thor’s adopted bag-of-cats-brained brother is locked in Bruce’s room and there’s a dangerous sceptre almost in his hand and Fury and Natasha are trying to convince him to leave the room, but he wants to know what’s going on, his blood pressure is rising and his room is taken, which was only there in case they needed to kill him but Bruce shouts; _but you can’t. I know, I tried!_

Well, Bruce Banner, he thinks to himself, you certainly know how to shut up a crowd.

They all give him those different looks — Fury seems mildly surprised, Romanoff doesn’t know what to say, Thor probably think suicide is dishonourable, Rogers just stares and Stark looks like someone just punched him in the groin — but he figures, screw it, it was probably going to come out sooner or later anyway.

He lies and says he's gotten over it, to try and get them to focus on something other than him because it's starting to make him nervous. He is desperately trying to keep the Other Guy from surfacing.

And yet no high-tension awkward oh-God-his-suicidal silence on a S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier is complete without an explosion.

Briefly, Bruce wonders what it is that's actually supposed to kill you: the fall, or the impact, but he doesn't have time to ponder this for long.

They – well, Natasha was the only one who fell with him, they hit the ground hard and then everything reaches a boiling point. He's gasping and struggling and she’s breathing and there is someone pouring acid on his brain and — dammit, why is she so _loud_ – and good God is this what it feels like to die — Goddamnit, Natasha, _shut up_ what the hell do you mean – _YOUR LIFE?_ he screams.

Bruce screams — it’s more of a guttural, pained yell of rage and fear and anguish and pity and terror and fury and all of those other unimaginable things — as he unleashes it all.

It’s horrible, ugly, disgusting and he has absolutely no control over it. There are little flashes of things he can’t quite recall as _he roars_ and she gasps (oh God, he’s so so sorry, honestly) and then there’s the sudden chase because of course she runs and where would the fun be if _he_ just let her get away?

There is nothing but rage and power and it’s beautiful and beyond anything _he_ could have imagined.

_He_ hits her. Oh God, _he_ friggin’ hit her. But it’s her fault, right? She was the one goading and antagonising him and then she . . . and then she . . . it was . . . she threatened and prodded and pushed and pulled and _he_ told her, no, no, no, don’t do that go away and she lied because she said it was just the two of them and for the briefest of seconds he’d trusted her.

_He’s_ a half step away from smashing her when the demigod sails out of nowhere with a hammer, of all things.

It isn’t the attack that enrages _him_ — though it does add fuel to the fire — but the fact that Thor tries to say that they are not each other’s _enemies_.

The Other Guy decides that Bruce — who has, at this point, seemingly lost consciousness to _himself_ — has felt enough pain and listened to enough lies for one day.

**Days Without Incident:** 0

The plane that was meant as a distraction to stop the Hulk from destroying the Helicarrier sends him plummeting from the sky.

**The Seventh Circle:**

Bruce doesn’t really know who this ‘Agent Barton’ person is that they kept going on about before. All he knows is that the man’s been ‘compromised’ — taken, infiltrated, brainwashed, abducted, however they want to word it. The extent of his knowledge is that Loki has done something to him and everyone wants him back (primarily Agent Romanoff, but she says nothing on the matter), even if he did lead the attack that left Bruce skydiving.

At least, that’s what he thinks are he picks himself out of the rubble and a man that he doesn’t know tosses him a pair of pants asking if he is an _alien_ , when Bruce informs him _no_ the Other Guy replies _well then son, you’ve got a condition_ and then promptly disappears and he’s left trying to figure out where the hell he is.

Without much effort he manages to procure a shoddy motorcycle that's obviously seen better days just like Bruce himself. The people fleeing the city you don't ask too much about it as the sky rips it self apart and deposits legion upon legion of otherworldly beings onto New York City full of screaming pedestrians who don't understand what's going on and a broken team doesn't know the first thing about working together.

He actually meets this Barton — Clint, Hawkeye –- in person about five seconds after he slows to a stop and they acquaint them selves with one another with little more than a passing glance as Cap fill him in (he would later learn that Tony had inquired on his whereabouts, expecting him there for reasons Bruce couldn’t completely comprehend) and just as a Leviathan appears led by Stark as Iron Man, Steve Rogers a.k.a. Captain America tells him that _now would be a really goof time for you to get angry_ to which after a reply of _that’s my secret Cap, I’m always angry_ the Other Guy quickly appears and punches the Leviathan in the snout.

The Other Guy decides he doesn’t mind Clint too much because the latter never misses his target.

**Days Without Incident:** 8 hours

The screaming and shouting of people running in fear from the alien invasion is drowned out by the sound of the Hulk roaring around the city and smashing the mentioned aliens.

**The Eight Circle:**

From what little he can comprehend well trapped within the mind of the monster, Bruce can get why no one seems to like Loki.

He heaves and grunts and growls and he is mildly amused by the man’s stance, the way he looks almost afraid of the beast before him but refuses to show weakness. The so-called demigod reeks of attitude and wrath and pride and Bruce realises that his bag-of-cats brain has been churning away for some time now, already knowing that it is much too late and that there is nothing he can do to heed the onslaught.

Doesn't mean he offers the slimy bastard any pity so he just growls at him again.

Briefly, there is a lumbering dance between them as the Hulk swings and Loki dodges blow after blow and then Loki shouts _I am a God you dull creature!_

Well that's a low blow and neither Bruce nor the Hulk appreciate the sentiment too much. He picks Loki up and bangs him on the ground a few times.

As he heavily stomps away to go help save the rest of the world he just snickers at the rubble and the _puny God_.

The Other Guy only likes Loki because he can toss him around like a limp rag-doll.

**Days Without Incident:** 0

The Other Guy leaves him yanking a figure clad in red and gold metal out of the sky.

**The Ninth Circle:**

There’s the whole matter of Loki abandoned in the remnants of Stark’s living room and the Other Guy isn't all that willing to relinquish his hold on Bruces psyche until the latter has been take care of.

It isn’t until Loki saying _I’ll take that drink now_ and Thor lifting his adopted brother by the collar with Barton keeping an arrow trained on him without yielding that the Hulk grunts and wars with Bruce for control. They each eye him warily and a couple take a few steps back while the Hulk presses a hand to his head as his human half attempts to reincarnate himself and return to his own body and mind.

He growls in response to theirs stares (he hates that, stop it!) and Loki has the very gall to crack a grin at the angry might of the beast.

The Other Guy growls in anger and frustration and Natasha Romanoff punches the smug look off the Asgardian’s face.

He likes her a little more now.

Barton curses her for not letting him shoot Loki and/or for not being the one to strike him. Stark laughs and Thor remains silent his face stony.

Bruce takes his opening and the Hulk heaves a heavy breath from his nostrils as Bruce resurfaces from the Other Guy. He knows they’re all watching him, fascinated or not, and all he’s aware of is the fact that his pants aren’t going to fit anymore and that every god damn thing hurts.

He falls to his knees with a heavy sigh and several quick gasps, one hand clasping his ribs and the other his ruined trousers. Gloved hands clap his back, conveying thoughts of appreciation and an apology in as not so many words before metallic ones help to hoist him to his unsteady feet.

He’s exhausted, to say the least. Bruce leans on Stark’s armour for a moment before he tries to shrug off not him and Roger’s helping hands, trying not to show how much the change tires him and trying to remain strong, but the minute they let go his legs falter and just before he falls over the hands are back on him keeping him upright.

The others snicker at the ensuring exchange while Bruce makes it a point to glance at the indentations in the flooring and then at Loki, who is being help in the unrelenting grip of the man who still hopes to find reason within him.

Bruce laughs, followed by a quick gasp as the pain in his chest registers.

Loki glares.

The Other Guy decides that he and himself may not be so bad after all.

**Days Without Incident:** 6 hours

Bruce and the Other Guy take the Avengers Initiative and turn it on its head and he feels like part of a team for the first time in who knows how long.

Bruce sits in a car with Stark yammering on about something on R&D and having to fix the Tower and meeting Pepper (a woman, as it would turn out, not a vegetable that Tony’s too attached to) as they leave Central Park, the events of the past forty-eight hours and their teammates behind and Stark breaks his reverie by mentioning that a mandatory stop at Burger King is the first thing on their list of priorities before Bruce can even consider asking to be taken to the airport instead.


End file.
